Combined Oral Contraceptives (aka "The Pill")
Effectiveness
- 99.9%
What it is
- Combined oral contraceptives are birth control pills which contain two hormones, an estrogen and a progestin - They prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation.
Type of birth control
- Hormonal
Advantages
- Pills decrease a woman's risk for cancers. - They decrease menstrual cramping and pain. - Combined pills reduce menstrual blood loss. - Acne often improves in women taking the pill.
Disadvantages
- do not protect you from HIV - You have to remember to take one pill every day - Serious complications such as blood clots may occur but are very rare. - You can not smoke. - Pills require a prescription